MORAY VETERANS DAY SUCCESS
Posted on Friday, June 27 2008
Veterans Day is set to be marked in Moray with a record national attendance. Nearly three hundred former servicemen and women will receive their Veterans Badges in Elgin Town Hall tomorrow (Saturday) at an event initiated by local MP Angus Robertson. The Westminster SNP leader has worked with Moray Council, local Lord-Lieutenants and ex-Service Clubs to coordinate the largest constituency-based event in the country. Mr Robertson said that Veterans Day was an opportunity for the wider community to recognise the debt of gratitude owed to those that have served in the military. Speaking about the Moray event Mr Robertson said: “Moray has a long military tradition so it is no surprise that the local Veterans Day event is the largest of its kind in the country. “As a community we are indebted to all who have served and we are mindful of our continuing responsibilities. “The scale of the Moray event is also a reflection of the efforts of Moray Council, the local Lord-Lieutenants and ex-Service Clubs to whom I pay tribute. The support of locally based military services and cadets gives a really special dimension to the event. “Veterans Day also allows us to highlight the excellent work done by welfare organisations that support ex-servicemen and women. We are grateful to our serving and retired military every day of the year and take the opportunity of Veterans Day to show our appreciation. BACKGROUND The Moray Veterans Badge Presentation Ceremony takes place in Elgin Town Hall on Saturday 28th June 2008. The event will open at 1030am with a welcoming address by Angus Robertson MP followed by a parade of Standards onto the stage. Moray Council Convener Cllr George McIntyre will then introduce decades of military service and veterans will be presented with their Veterans Badge by Moray Lord-Lieutenant, Lt Colonel Grenville Johnston and Banffshire Lord-Lieutenant Mrs Clare Russell. The RAF Kinloss brass band will play music from the period. There will be pipers from the Black Watch and an RAF flypast followed by a lunch for the veterans and their guests. ENDS
MASS SUPPORT FOR POST OFFICE CARD ACCOUNT
Posted on Friday, June 27 2008
On a visit to Lossiemouth Post Office today [Friday] Moray MP Angus Robertson will highlight the enormous support shown by Post Office customers for the popular Post Office Card Account.The Government is currently deciding which company will operate the successor to the Post Office card account (POCA2) from 2010. The Federation of Sub-Postmasters is campaigning to ensure that Post Office Ltd will continue to be the provider. There is grave concern that if the contract is awarded elsewhere then many more Post Offices could be under threat from further business loss.In Moray local Sub-Postmasters there is united support across the region in support of the campaign and in just a month Post Offices across Moray have sent in over 1,500 cards from customers supporting the campaign.The campaign is one of the largest seen in Moray in recent years with so many local people adding there support in such a short period time. Local MP Mr Robertson has pledged to take the concerns of both Postmasters and their customers direct to the Prime Minister and will be delivering the cards direct to Downing Street.Mr Robertson met with Lossiemouth Sub-Postmaster and Vice-Chair of the local Federation Bernard Annikin to highlight the campaign and afterwards commented:" This campaign is one of the best supported in Moray in recent years. We have seen huge turnouts at recent meetings on Post Office closures and this campaign to ensure Post Office Ltd remains the provider of Card Accounts demonstrates the level of public support for Post Offices." Post Offices are seen by the public as an essential service, an institution at the heart of the community and even a local landmark." The Westminster Labour Government has continually eroded the role of Post Offices and we must all do our part in supporting this core community service." We need to see a postive agenda for the Post Office instead of pulling the rug from under it." 1,500 people have signed cards in just a few weeks and I will take that strong message to Gordon Brown and continue our demand for fairer treatment of the Post Office, Sub-postmasters and their employees and, ultimately, the public who rely on this service."Ends.
MP PREPARES POST OFFICE SUBMISSION
Posted on Wednesday, June 25 2008
Angus Robertson, Moray's SNP MP, has welcomed the continuing and increasing show of support for Moray's threatened Post Offices. In addition to the large attendances at public meetings following the announcement of the Post Offices in Moray threatened with closure the local Member of Parliament has received letters on an almost daily basis from constituents concerned about the proposals. Mr Robertson is using the information gleaned from meeting attendees, correspondence and organisations such as Community Councils and Local Area Forums to help inform his own submission. The local MP has also stressed the importance of individuals and groups supporting the Post Offices to ensure that their concerns are also directly submitted to the consultation. Commenting Angus Robertson MP said: " The level of support for our local Post Offices is huge and I have received comments both in writing and as I go around Moray from many, many concerned constituents. " The issues raised by constituents focus on accessibility issues, as the proposed closures would clearly result in more difficult access for less mobile Post Office users such as the elderly, disabled and parents with buggies and prams. Other issues include the capacity of alternative branches and their ability to cope with significant rises in customer numbers. " Strong local campaigns have sprung up to defend the important service provided by the Post Offices and this demonstrates the strength and depth of feeling on this issue throughout Moray. Communities are united in their defence of the local Post Office. " There is little logic to these proposals, which are simply the result of a government directive to Royal Mail to shut over 2,000 Post Offices nationwide. This policy is an affront to communities across Moray, Scotland and the UK as a whole and it particularly hurts rural communities where services such as banks are already disappearing. " We must continue to fight tooth and nail on this issue and I would urge anyone with concerns who has not submitted a response to do so before the deadline of 8th July." Ends.
FISHERMEN’S FEDERATION & HAULIERS BACK FUEL DUTY REGULATOR
Posted on Wednesday, June 25 2008
Moray's SNP MP Angus Robertson has welcomed growing support for the SNP's proposal to cut fuel prices through a Fuel Duty Regulator. Organisations representing both hauliers & fishermen, two of Moray's major industries, have thrown their weight behind SNP proposals for the introduction of a Fuel Duty Regulator, which would provide relief for motorists and industry from soaring fuel prices. The local MP says that the Chancellor is under growing pressure to take urgent action and an SNP amendment to the Finance Bill being considered by the House of Commons next week, provides an ideal opportunity. The SNP's proposal has secured the backing of the Road Haulage Association and the Scottish Fishermen's Federation. In a letter to the SNP's Westminster Treasury spokesperson, Stewart Hosie MP, SFF chief executive, Bertie Armstrong, said: “ Fuel prices at the quayside have increased by 40% since January – perhaps 25% of the industry is now in financial jeopardy. Fishermen do not pay duty on fuel but the industry is unable to pass on increases in anything like real time – fish is sold at auction we are price takers, not price makers. The SNP’s fuel duty regulator would provide some relief to hard pressed fishermen and I commend it fully.” These concerns have been echoed by many involved in Moray industries including hauliers, fishermen and farmers, as well as many individuals who are finding the necessity of owning a car in rural Moray eating up more and more of their budgets. Welcoming the growing support for the SNP's proposals Angus Robertson MP said: “ I am delighted that the SFF & the Road Haulage Association have added their voice to the growing chorus of support for the introduction of a fuel duty regulator. Jointly they representative a significant number of businesses in Moray and across Scotland. “ Backing for a regulator is mounting outside parliament, and next week we must secure support in parliament. “ Whilst the UK Government rakes in an additional £6 billion in revenue from rising prices, Moray's hard-pressed motorists and key industries like fishing, farming and hauliers face real pain at the pumps. “ UK Ministers cannot just wring their hands while fuel costs cripple the Scottish economy and lifeline services. “ It is ridiculous that in an oil rich country key sectors are struggling to fill their tanks. Ends.
Column
Posted on Wednesday, June 25 2008
A Debt of HonourI don’t know if you have also felt that we are not very good in this country at publicly appreciating success and acknowledging public service?This week we have good reason to celebrate civic pride and recognise as a community the service of a special group of fellow citizens.A few days ago I was privileged to be asked along to the Skill Force Awards ceremony in Elgin Town Hall. Moray is one of the few parts of Scotland to have a full Skill Force programme and Moray Council must be commended for their financial support.Skill Force gives opportunities to young people who, for whatever reason, are unlikely to benefit from mainstream education. Without the efforts of organisations like Skill Force, many of these young people would leave school with no qualifications and little or no opportunity to reach their potential. The instructors involved are to be congratulated on their efforts and ability to bring out the best in every young person involved in Skill Force.The Awards evening saw the Town Hall filled with parents, teachers and Skill Force instructors gathered to celebrate the achievements of young people from all Moray’s secondary schools and I thoroughly enjoyed joining in the celebrations. Too often one only hears about reported ‘problems’ involving young people and a great deal of effort and achievement goes unrecognised – everyone involved in Skill Force should be really proud of their efforts.The Town Hall provides a great venue for many kinds of celebrations and I am very much looking forward to the Veterans Day ceremony tomorrow. When compared to other countries, particularly the US, the UK has been slow to properly recognise the Veterans who have served their country. Over 500 Moray veterans applied for their award and a considerable number are attending the formal ceremony tomorrow. Proudly, Moray is holding the largest awards ceremony of its kind in the country when veterans from all over Moray will receive their badge from the Lords-Lieutenants of Moray and Banffshire. I look forward to meeting as many of the scores of veterans attending the ceremony as possible. The Northern Scot has been instrumental in securing the record number of applications and Moray Council along with the support of the RAF has enthusiastically supported efforts in celebrating Veteran’s Day.While we come together as a community many of our thoughts are with the long suffering people of Zimbabwe whose society has been led to the edge of destruction. Their nation has been overtaken by violence and intimidation as President Mugabe and his ZANU-PF thugs hold on to power. Finally there are signs that neighbouring African countries have finally had enough of the situation. Change there can’t come quickly enough.
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